Yuma Farmers Work to Save Water in Drought-Stricken West
With the fate of the Colorado River unknown due to the drought in the western United States, local farmers in the Yuma growing region are stepping up to conserve water and protect the nation’s food supply.
Tanimura and Antle Farms are among those employing unique methods to reduce water usage, starting with GPS-leveling the ground to ensure that only the amount of water necessary is used on the fields.
Every gallon of water applied is carefully measured, and runoff is collected to prevent waste.
According to Mark Stover, these techniques make Yuma 75 percent more efficient than the rest of the Colorado River Basin.
With farmers doing their part to enforce responsible water use, there is hope that the region can weather the ongoing drought and continue to produce food for the country.